Escaped inmate captured by Wise County authorities

DUFFIELD -- An inmate who escaped custody at the Wise County courthouse is facing additional felony charges after he was captured late Tuesday night by local law enforcement.

Charles Henry Bradley, Jr., 38, of Big Stone Gap, was arrested shortly before 11:30 p.m. in the Norton area by the Wise County Sheriff's Office, said Maj. George Hembree of the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Norton.

Bradley is scheduled to be arraigned this morning in Wise County on felony escape charges as a result of the alleged incident.

Bradley reportedly evaded custody for nearly 8 hours Tuesday.

The incident began when Bradley allegedly escaped while being loaded into a transport van with other prisoners at the Wise County courthouse around 3:35 p.m.

According to a spokeswoman for the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Duffield, officers were attempting to load Bradley into a waiting van when he "kicked free of his leg restraints."

Bradley reportedly fled with his handcuffs still intact.

As a result of his alleged escape, jail officials notified law enforcement agencies in surrounding jurisdictions, including Scott and Lee counties.

Bradley was being held at the Duffield jail and awaiting trial on charges of abduction, malicious wounding, robbery and conspiracy.

Those charges out of Scott County stem from an alleged home invasion May 25 that took place at a residence near Duffield. According to police reports, Bradley was one of three people arrested for allegedly forcing their way into a 57-year-old man's home before beating and robbing him of medication.

The trio allegedly tied up the victim with a combination of duct tape, wire and tubing before ransacking his home and taking his wallet and an undisclosed amount of medication.

The victim in the alleged invasion was transported to an area hospital where he was treated for several broken bones sustained in the break-in.

Bradley was appearing in court in Wise County on Tuesday for violating probation for a felony offense.